Image forming apparatus having collection box

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided with a cassette configured to accommodate printing sheets, a casing of the image forming apparatus, a belt member which circularly moves inside the casing, a cleaning device configured to remove particles adhering on the belt member, and a collection box in which the particles removed by the cleaning unit is collected. The casing has a cassette accommodating section for accommodating the cassette, a box accommodating section defined inside the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section and an opening formed on the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section. The cassette is removably installable into the cassette accommodating section through the opening, and the collection box is detached from or inserted in the box accommodating section through the opening.

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a cassette configured to accommodate printing sheets; 
 a casing of the image forming apparatus; 
 a belt member which circularly moves inside the casing; 
 a cleaning device configured to remove particles adhering on the belt member; and 
 a collection box in which the particles removed by the cleaning device are collected, 
 wherein the casing has:
 a cassette accommodating section for accommodating the cassette; 
 a box accommodating section defined inside the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section; and 
 an opening formed on the casing and communicating with the cassette accommodating section, 
 
 wherein the cassette is removably installable into the cassette accommodating section through the opening, and 
 wherein the collection box is detached from or inserted in the box accommodating section through the opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a guiding mechanism configured to guide the collection box inserted through the opening to the box accommodating section. 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the guiding mechanism includes a pair of inclined structures respectively provided to inner side surfaces defining the cassette accommodating section, the inclined structures contacting the collection box and directing the collection box from the cassette accommodating section to the box accommodating section as the collection box is inserted deeper in the cassette accommodating section. 
 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the box accommodating section is provided with: 
 a contact portion at a deeper end of the box accommodating section, the contact portion contacting an insertion side end portion of the collection box; and 
 a latching mechanism provided at an opening side end portion of the box accommodating section, the latching mechanism being configured to releasably latch an opening side end portion of the collection box when accommodated in the box accommodating section. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cleaning device is provided to the collection box, the collection box being provided with an input gear which transmits a driving force to the cleaning device, and 
 wherein the image forming apparatus has a driving gear which is located on a rear side of the input gear of the collection box viewed from the opening side, the driving gear engaging with the input gear and input a driving force to the input gear.